Locking device for radiator caps



Feb. 8, 1 927. 1,616,878

A. L. SQHM LOCKING DEVICE Fon RADIATQBC'CAPS Filed sept'. 21f 41925 atto/cmg Patented F eb. 8, 1927.

UNITED ALFRED L. sorti/r, or cHicAGo, rrnrnorsf LOCKING- DEVICE FORVRADYATOR CAPS.

Application inea september 21, 19215. sei-iai N'. 57,731;v

neath the bearing an internally threaded colf lar surrounds the screwand supports the lower ends of outwardly land upwardly extending arms which. are pivotally connected to the` collar; VThe arms are'adapted to contact with the lower end ofthe bearing whereby the outer ends thereof will be moved outwardly into engagement with theinterior -of the radiator spout when the* screw is y'revolved to elevate the collar.

over the construction shown in my copending application above identified and has for an object the provisionof means for preventing reverse rotation of the locking screw by means of a gravity operated pawl whereby the cap may be removed without damage to itself'for the radiator spout, if removal isnecessary, by detacliing the radiator and inverting it; whereby. the pawl will move away from the ratchet to permit reverse rotation ofthe screw. i v

A further obj ect is to providea cap which is not in threaded ,engagementl with the radiator spout whereby a cap of oner size may be made to accommodate radiator spouts of varying sizes. y

A. still further object is to provide a cap formed in two pieces, the inner piece car'- rying the locking means whereby ity will be securely locked-to the radiator spout against any movemenathe outer piece being heldin position by the inner piece to prevent its removal, but being freely rotatable whereby an'attempt to remove the device by an unauthorized person will prevent any injury to the locking mechanism. j

Otherobjects and advantages of the invention will rbecome apparent `during the course of the'following description. f

'In the drawingsI have shown one embodiment of the invention. In this show?l ing: Y y VFigureflis a central verticalv sectional view through thefdevice iny position on a radiator spout, parts being shown in elevation, v f Figure 2 is a plan view porting member,- f-

- Figure 3 is aperspective view of the collar and locking arms,

Figuretis anfunderside perspective of the lock *supi-l vthe` lock` supporting memberaiid,

y Figure 5 screw. Y v

Referring tothe drawings,` the numeral 10 designates the spout of an ordinary au.,-

is a similar view of the locking tomobile radiator. Thefdevice forming the` subject matter of the present invention coinprisesan vouter collar 11 which maybe provided on opposite sides with ornamental .ai-ins 12; The collar 11 is provided in fits under side with a cylindrical opening'l v l preferably somewhat larger than the avf The present invention is an improvementl similar ,"gasket 16 for a purpose to be described.. The upper portionof the collar 13 is further derl'... Y., y; x. 1 The numeral 1S designates a lock supportf ing meinberas a whole comprising an upper horizontal; ring 1,9 vhaving an annular flange 20eirtending outwardly to engagegthe upper face' of ,the shoulder 17, als shown in Figure l. A gasket 21 risl arranged between the collar 1-1 and the vupper end of thefradiato'r spout to prevent leakage of water -or water vaporfwhen lthe. devicel is in position and provided with a'horizontal shoul# in normaloperation-1 The flock supporting memberfurther includes a plurality of def pending fingers 22 .each of which Iis provided 'in its outer face with an upwardly rextending'groove 23 forming arms 23. ring 24C is l'preferably formed integral with the lingers 22 at their lower ends and an intjegralcylindrical ineinberfor thimble 25 depends Ifrom" the .-ringv24, -as shown in Fig- 'I ures 1 and f1. The arms 23 Aextend downv wardly a; 'short distance 'below the ring 24to form guides'infa manner to be described.

Figure 1. The collar 29, as shown, is provided with a cylindrical bore in which the thimble is adapted to slide. The collar 29 is provided at spaced intervals with notches 31 in its upper edge `in which are arranged the lowery and inner ends of arms 32, as

shown in Figure 3. Pins 34 extend through the notches 31 and arms 32 whereby the latter are pivotally connected to the collar, as will be understood. The outer ends of the arms 32 areprovided with relatively sharp `Aedges y35 which are adapted to grip' against the inner surface of the radiator spout in a manner to be described. The arms 32 correspond in arrangement to the grooves 23 and are adapted to operate therein.

The thimble 25 and collar 29 are provided with alined axial openings 36 and 37 respectively to receive the shank of a screw 38, as shown in Figure 1. rThe screw is process having a vertical vwall 42. A pawl l43` vided at its upper end within the bore 26 with an enlarged head 39 having a screw driver' slot 40 formed in its upper face. The head 39 is undercut as at 41 to form a reis pivotally connected as at 44 to the head 39 against the vertical face 42, as clearly shown in Figure 5. When the device is assembled as shown-in Figure 1, the bore l26 is preferably closed byfa lead or similarv soft metallic slug 40 in the form of a disk snugly fitting within the bore against the upper face of the head 39..

A ring 45 is arranged above the collar 11 and lock supporting member 18, as shown in Figure 1 and this ring is provided on its lower face with an annular rib 46 adapted toy be clamped in any suitable manner against the gasket 16. The ring 45 is preferably pivotally connected to the collar 11 by any suitable form of` hinge (not shown) such as is shown in my copending applica tion above identified. rlie ring 45 isA further provided centrally thereof with an opening 47v to permit the passage of water vapor therethrough. In the present showing of the device 1 vhave illustratedk a radiator' signal including a cylinder 48having its lower end arranged in an annular recess 49 formed in the upper face of the ring 45. In my copending application Serial No. 4,589, filed January 24th, 1925, 1 have shown and described a radiator signal hav.- ing a cylinder similar to that previously described and adaptedv for arrangement within the recess 49. The signal referred to includes a movable cap 50 adapted to be actuated by fluid pressure generated by the diameter vto accommodate radiator spouts of 'ffl varying sizes and it is unnecessary for the spouts to contact with the interior of the collar as will become apparent. Uien the device is to be applied to the radiator, the

collar 29 isarranged near the lower end of the screw 38 whereby the arms 32 may be swung inwardly a material distance beyond the position shown in Figure 1. rThe device is then placed in position over the radiator and the ring 45opened to permit access to the locking mechanism. lith the .device pressed downwardly .withl the gasket k21 firmly engaging the upper .end of the .radiator spout and the device approximately centered over vthe spout, a screwdriver may be employed for rotating the screw 38 in a clockwise direction when looking down on the device. Rotation of the screw obviously will elevate the collar 29 and contact .be-

tween the lower ends .of the fingers 22 and the arms 32 will cause the latter to swing outwardly. .Continued rotation will move the arms 32 outwardly .untilvthe edges 35 at the outer lends of the arms rmly; grip against the inner faceof vthe radiator spout. "t

rFhe pawl 43 is normally in contact with the ratchet teeth 28 and when the arms 32 assume a locking position, disengagement thereof is prevented since thepawl 43 will prevent reverse rotation of the screw. rlhe contact between the'pins 34 and arms l32 is preferably sufficiently snug to normally maintain the free ends of the arms at their inner positions until they are moved outwardly by elevation of the collar 29. 1f the arms 32 are loosely .pivoted, a small rubber band or piece of cord may bewrapped about the arms to prevent them from falling prematurely and becoming disengaged from between the lower ends of the guide arms 23. 'It will be obvious that the arrangement of the arms 32 between the arms 23 will preventr-otation of the collar 29 while the screw is being operated. 1f desired, a lead or similar slug 40 in the form of a disk may be driven `downwardly within the bore 2G against theupperA face of the screw head 39 after the device has been installed on a radiator. This slug serves to cover the screw and the sl0t-40 in the head thereof and its inclusion in the device is intended to discourage attempted theft of the device since it would be necessary to spendy some little time removing the slug before the screw head would be accessible. The slug itself is not intended to be a positive protection to the device since the screw cannot be rotated to permit release of the arms 32.

It will be apparent that the locking device just described will prevent removal of the cap and the radiator signal or-other device carried thereby, by unauthorized persons. If it ever becomes necessary to Aremove the locking cap, this can be done by removing the radiator from the vehicle and invert ing it, whereupon the screw may be rotated slightly to free the pawl 43 and the screw then can be backed out to permit the arms 32 to be withdrawn.

It will be apparent that the clamping action will firmly engage the flange 2O against the shoulder 17 and maintain the ornamental arms l2 in their proper position transversely of the vehicle. If any unauthorized person attempts to twist the device loose by rotating the arms 12, the collar 1l may be rotated against the frictional engagement just described and the locking mechanism will not be disturbed and thus will be protected from injury.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. A device yof the character described comprising acap adapted to be arranged or er the filling spout of an automobile radiator, a plurality of depending members carried by said cap and provided with guides,` a screw supported by said depending members and rotatable in one direction, means for preventing reverse rotation of said screw, a coilar threaded on said screw, and a plurality of upwardly divergiiig arms pivotally connected at their lower ends to said collar and slidable in said guides.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cap adapted to be arranged over the filling spout of an automobile radiator, a. plurality of depending members cai'- ried by said cap and provided with guides, a thimble carried by the lower ends of said depending members and provided with an axial opening, a screw arranged in said opening and rotatable in one direction therein, means for preventing reverse rotation of said screw, a collar threaded on the lower end of said screw and slidable on said collar, and a plurality of upwardly diverging arms pivotally connected at their lower ends to said collar and slidable in said guides.

3. A device of the character described comprising a cap adapted to bev arranged over with ratchet teeth surrounding said opening,

a screw arranged insaid opening and provided with a head arranged in said bore. a: gravity operated pawl carried by the head of lsaid screw and adapted to engage said 'ratchet teeth, a collar threaded on said screw below said thimble,and` a plurality of upwardly diverging arms pivotally connected at their lower ends to said collar and slidable insaid guides. 1 v

4. A device of the character described coinprising a cap adapted to be arranged over the filling spout of an automobile radiator,

a thimble formed integral' with said cap and depending therefrom, said thimble being provided in its lower end with a central opening and in its upper end'with an enlarged bore communicating with said opening, a screw arranged in` said opening andv provided witha head arranged in said bore, a collar threaded onsaid screw below said thimble, a plurality of upwardly diverging arms pivotally connected at their lower eiids to said collar, said armsl contacting with a portion of said cap to move the upper ends thereof outwardly as said screw isrotated in one direction, means for preventing reverse rotation of said screw, and a cap frictionally held within the bore of said thimble above the head of the screw therein.

,5; Adevice of the character described comprising a pair of` members forming a cap adapted to be arranged over the filling spout of an automobile radiator', one of said members having portions depending within the radiator spout and provided with guides, the other of said members being fixed against removal from said first named member vbut rotatable with relation thereto, a rotatable screw carried `by the. depending portion of said first named member, a plurality of loclc ing arms each having a portion arrange-d in one of said guides, the inner ends of said locking arms projecting inwardly beyond said guides, and means for moving the inner ends of said locking arms vertically upon rotation of said screw.

` In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

' ALFRED L. SOHM.v 

